When A Soldier Cries
by TheNewForensicArtist
Summary: Tony enlisted the Marines when he was 18 yrs old. He was never deployed for 15 yrs, and eventually forgot all about it. 15 yrs later, when he'd married to Ziva and has children with her, he is deployed to Iraq. What will happen? What will be lost?
1. Family

"Daddy!" Anthony DiNozzo heard his three year old, triplets yell at eight o'clock on a Saturday morning. He groaned and rolled over in bed, only to have three 60 pound bodies jump on his back.

"Daddy! Mommy said breakfast is ready!" The oldest, Jacob Anthony DiNozzo, yelled in his ear.

"Yeah, Daddy! Get up! We're going to the beach with Uncle Gibbs, Uncle McGee, Aunt Abby, and Aunt Jen!" The second oldest, Maddox Jethro DiNozzo, said.

"Hurry, Daddy! Please!" The third, Olivia Abigail DiNozzo, said.

"Come on, Tony." Ziva David-DiNozzo, his wife, said from her spot in the door way, then left to finish breakfast. Tony smiled into his pillow and rolled over again, letting them slip off his back. He looked at his children, the carbon copies of their parents. All of them looked pretty much alike, except for a few minor differences in hair color or eye color.

Olivia, the sweetest three-year-old you'll ever meet, never got in trouble, unlike her brothers, who were biggest troublemakers in the world. At age three she already knew three other languages, like her brothers, who could also speak those three; Hebrew, Italian, and Spanish. She was smart and sweet, plus beautiful, just like her mom. She had dark brown, almost black, curly, thick, long hair with a widow's peak in the middle of her forehead. Right now, her hair had been brushed out perfectly strait and then French braided into two braids on the side of her head. At the ends of each braid was a white and purple striped ribbon. Her dark olive skin contrasted beautifully with her jewel green eyes. Her facial features were purely Tony's, and so was her smile, but her personality switched between his and Ziva's, depending on what kind of mood she was in. She was dressed in a purple one-piece bathing suit with a white and purple sleeved rash guard with tropical purple flowers on the side of it. A simple pair of purple shorts covered the bottom of her bathing suit.

Maddox, the most devious and sneaky kid in the world, purely his mother's personality. He also had dark olive skin, but had spiked up, light, sandy brown hair like Tony's. His eyes were a deep brown and he had Tony's smile and facial features. He had on brown swim trunks with deep burgundy Hawaiian flowers covering them and a pure white elastic waist band. He had on a simple white Speedo rash guard and shiny red sunglasses covering his eyes.

Jacob, the care-free, funny kid, had his dad's personality. But, he looked just like Ziva except for his green eyes and smile. His hair was dark brown spiky hair and he had beautiful olive skin. His facial features portrayed none of Tony. His trunks were a bit brighter than Maddox's, being clean, pure white and bright yellow horizontal striped. His shirt was also a white rash guard. His black sunglasses were also placed securely on top of is head.

"I'm up. I'm up." Tony said, laughing at their excitement. He climbed out of bed and pulled a pair of brown swim trunks with a light blue stripe and a smaller white stripe down the right side. On the left was a large white Speedo symbol.

"How about you go help mommy set the table while I change?" Tony said to Maddox, Jacob, and Olivia. They all nodded and ran into the kitchen. Tony slipped on the swim trunks and then pulled out a short sleeved, white rash guard with a silver Nike symbol on the neck of it. He slipped that on for when they go surfing or skim boarding and then followed the kids into the kitchen.


	2. Lance Corporal Stone

Tony walked into the kitchen and kissed Ziva lightly.

"Good morning, Zee." He said brightly, smiling, and then whispered in her ear. "You look very sexy today." Ziva smiled and Tony looked her over. She had on an orange, white, and brown striped bikini, covered by her white cover up dress. Her hair was perfectly strait, pulled back out of her face by large white sunglasses on top of her head. "But what are you going to wear to surf?"

"Thank you, Tony. You do not look so bad yourself." She said, kissing him slightly and pointing towards their stuff for the beach. There was a bag containing five towels and one containing sunscreen, sun tan lotion, goggles for the triplets, a brown rash guard, and short white board shorts lying amongst two large surf boards and three skim boards. He nodded, seeing the rash guard and board shorts and smiled, walking to the table. He kissed each child's cheek and told them good morning, then sat at the table in front of Ziva. They ate in silence, and then cleared the table quickly so they could get going.

"Olivia, get your bag. You two, too." Tony said to Maddox, Jacob, and Olivia. They nodded and put their small Nike backpacks on their backs obediently. Tony picked up the two surf boards and the skim boards while Ziva got the bags. They got ready to leave their house and walked to the door. As Olivia opened it, Ziva and Tony's hands being full, they were met by a large, muscular man with a Marine uniform at the doorstep.

"Special Agents Anthony and Ziva DiNozzo?" He asked and Tony nodded. Both him and Ziva placed the things by the door and allowed him to step in.

"Yes…. Ummmm…" Tony said, trying to read the name tag on his uniform.

"Lance Corporal Cameron Stone." He said, holding out his hand. Tony shook it.

"Well, Lance Corporal Stone, what is this about?" Tony asked, closing the front door.

"Special Agent DiNozzo, you are being deployed to Iraq." Lance Corporal Stone said. Ziva masked her anger and looked at Olivia, Marshall, and Jacob.

"Please go and play in one of your rooms. Daddy and I need to talk to Lance Corporal Stone." She said and they nodded. When they were in their rooms Ziva let her anger show.

"What do you mean he is being deployed?" Ziva said angrily and Lance Corporal Stone flinched. He knew her background; Colonel in the Israeli Army, Mossad assassin, then NCIS agent. He knew what she could do.

"Zee, wait. I'll explain later." Tony said and placed his hand on her shoulder softly, then turned to Lance Corporal Stone. "When, where, and what time?"

"We need you immediately. Be at the Marine Base on the Washington Navy Yard in 3 hours. I was asked to apologize for the short notice." He said.

"Thank you, Lance Corporal Stone. I'll be there." Tony said and he nodded. Lance Corporal Stone left and Tony turned to Ziva.

"When?" She said shortly.

"15 years ago." Tony replied. "Zee, I forgot all about it. I haven't thought about it for years." Tony said, practically begging for her not to be mad anymore. Ziva wasn't mad anymore, she wasn't mad in the first place anyways. She didn't care if she didn't tell her, that was the least of her problems. What would she do?

"You can not do this to me, Tony. I do not know what to do. I need you. Olivia, Maddox, and Jacob need you." Ziva said, letting tears slip through her eyes. Tony pulled her into his arms and squeezed her.

"I'm sorry, Zee. I'll take you all to Gibbs and Jenny's or McGee and Abs's before I go. They'll help you. Zee, you're not going to lose me. I'll fight and I'll live, I promise. I love you… I love Olivia, Maddox, and Jacob." Tony said. Ziva pulled away.

"You need tell them that." She said and he nodded.

"I know."


	3. Be Strong

Tears were pouring from Tony's eyes as he sat in the basement, tearing though boxes, trying to find something he hadn't seen on almost 15 years. He finally found it, his uniform. It was still crisp and clean, he hadn't worn it since orientation. He carried it upstairs and into the bedroom where Ziva was packing. He walked past her in silence and laid it on the bed.

He pulled out a small black Nike duffel bag and set it beside it. Before he started throwing what few clothes he could fit into it, he pulled out a white, short sleeve Under Armour compression shirt and changed from his rash guard to that. He then unfolded the uniform, pulling it on, and putting the shiny boots on his feet and hat on his head.

It left a sense of finality in the air, one that weighed on his shoulders like a thousand pound weight. He was going, whether he wanted to or not. Tony let more tears fall and pulled out what few clothes he would be taking with him, just about six short sleeved Under Armour shirts in colors of black, white, or grey; some boxers, a few pairs of basketball shorts, and some black socks. He threw that into the duffel bag and then threw a few razors and deodorant in. He zipped the bag just as Ziva zipped the last bag that she, Olivia, Jacob, and Maddox would need.

"I called Gibbs and explained. He said we could come there. Olivia, Marshall, and Jacob can sleep in Kelly and Haleigh's room." She whispered. Tony nodded and walked over to her slowly. He wrapped his arms around her softly and pulled her to his chest.

"I'm sorry. I love you, Zee." He whispered. Olivia, Maddox, and Jacob walked in as he released her.

"Just make sure you come back alive." She said and walked out of the bedroom. Tony looked at Olivia, Maddox, and Jacob softly.

"Daddy, where are you going?" Olivia asked sweetly and Tony sat on the bed.

"Come here, baby. All of you." He whispered and they walked over to him cautiously. He brought them all up on his lap.

"Daddy's going to be gone for awhile. I'm going to be far, far away." He said and tears started to fill each of there eyes.

"Are you coming back?" Jacob asked quietly, wiping away the tears.

"Of course, buddy." Tony said and tears started pouring from his eyes. He felt bad for making promises he didn't know if he could keep. "But, while I'm gone I need you to be strong for mommy. Okay, buddy, can you do that for me? I need you all to be strong for mommy. Protect her for me, okay?" He said and they all nodded.

"Okay, Daddy." Maddox said, tears trailing down his face.

"Thank you. Now, we have to go. You all are staying at Uncle Gibbs and Aunt Jen's house with Haley and Kelly." Tony said and they nodded again. Tony hugged them all to his chest and released them. He grabbed his bag and all four of their bags and carried them to the living room.

"Are you ready, Zee." Tony said to Ziva. His heart broke when he saw her on the couch, curled up in and ball and crying. She nodded and they went to the car in silence, none of them wanting to say it. Good bye.


	4. Goodbye: The Hardest Word To Say

Tony pulled up to Gibbs's house and climbed out of the car. Ziva stepped out with him. All three triplets were sleeping, so Tony grabbed Olivia and Maddox while Ziva got Jacob. They walked to the door without a word and walked in, knowing it wouldn't be locked.

"Gibbs?" Tony questioned through the house and walked into the living room. Jenny was sitting on the couch, reading a book to her three year old daughter, Kelly Shannon Gibbs, and her two year old, Haley Jennifer Gibbs. She looked up to them and closed the book.

"Go play in your room." She whispered and Haley and Kelly ran into their rooms. Jenny motioned for Ziva and Tony to lay the triplets down. They did and Jenny looked at Tony.

"Gibbs wants you in the basement. You can say bye later." She said and Tony nodded, flinching at the word bye. He walked downstairs and as soon as he got to where a boat was being built he felt a hand connect with the back of the head.

"Thank you, boss." Tony said and turned around to face Gibbs to find him with a razor in his hand.

"Take the jacket off." He said and Tony furrowed his eyebrows. "Just do it, DiNozzo." Tony unbuttoned his jacket and laid it across a beam on the boat. Gibbs pushed him down in a chair and plugged up the razor. Tony knew what was happening when Gibbs put it to the bottom of his head and shaved up and all around his head. When he was done, Gibbs handed Tony a mirror.

"Now you're a real Marine." He said and Tony stood up, pulling his jacket back on.

"Thank you, boss." He said and Gibbs nodded.

"Yeah, now go say well…. You know…. To Ziva and the kids. You have to get going. Make sure to stay alive." Gibbs said, knowing what it felt like to hear the word bye when things like this were happening.

"I will, boss." Tony nodded and walked up the stairs. Gibbs yelled at him just before he got to the door. "Tony!"

"Yeah, boss?"

"I'm proud of you…."

"Thank you, boss." Tony whispered and walked through the door and to the bedroom where Ziva and Jenny were. When he entered the room, Jenny left immediately; smiling slightly at the haircut and nodding to the bed to show him Olivia, Maddox, and Jacob were sleeping there. Tony nodded and walked up to Ziva, immediately wrapping her in his arms.

"I see Gibbs took it upon himself to cut your hair." Ziva said and laughed tentatively. "I like it…. I like the uniform too.

"Yea. I guess." Tony said. They were silent for awhile until Ziva spoke again.

"You have to go, Tony. You do not want to make a bad impression." She said, crying at the words.

"I know." He said and she pulled away. Tony wiped the tears from her cheeks and kissed her passionately. "I will come back, Zee. I love you too much to never see you again." He said and she nodded.

"I know." She whispered and Tony nodded.

"Good." She said and kissed her forehead. He lifted her up into his arms and placed her on the bed beside the triplets, covering her body with the blankets and kissing her one last time.

"Bye, Zee. I love you." He whispered.

"I love you too, Tony." She whispered back. Tony kissed Olivia, Maddox, and Jacob's foreheads and told them each that he loved them, knowing they were asleep. But, he felt like he needed to say it. As he walked out of the room, he heard Olivia whisper to him.

"Bye, Daddy. I love you." She whispered.

"Yeah, me too, Daddy. I love you, too." Maddox whispered.

"Me three." Jacob finished. Tony paused in the doorway, but didn't look back. He knew it would just make the fresh tears in his eyes fall quicker.

"I love you all, too. Always." He whispered and walked through the living room and out the door, not saying a word to Jenny and Gibbs.

**(A/N: This was depressing for me. Please, review. That would make me very happy.)**


	5. Letters From Home

**1 Month Later:**

Tony sat in his barracks in Iraq, lying on his cot when there was a knock on the door.

"Who is it?" He asked, sitting up.

"Cameron." A man answered and Tony lay back down.

"Come in." He said. He had learned after leaving Gibbs house that Lance Corporal Stone was in his platoon. He had become very close with him, actually, Cameron was his best friend out here. Besides him there were eight others not including Tony himself.

"Hey Tony. Brought your letters." Cameron said, closing the door behind him. He handed Tony his letters and sat on the edge of Tony's cot, opening his own. Tony opened one out of the five letters he had in his hand. This one happened to be from Abby.

_Dear Tony, _

_How are you? And please, if things are really bad, lie to me and say they're great. Because things aren't too great here. Gibbs is pissed all the time with the new guy, O'Donnell, Ziva never smiles anymore, Olivia, Jacob, and Maddox keep asking when you're coming home, Timmy's depressed, Jenny's always pissed off, Haley and Kelly keep asking where Uncle Tony is, Ducky doesn't ramble anymore, and I just always feel like crap. It isn't right with out you Tony._

_But, forget about the sad stuff, I have good news. I'm pregnant. It took me and Timmy forever, but it finally happened. It's a boy, and he's going to be named after his two awesome uncles. We're naming him Michael Anthony Jethro McGee. We're excited, but I wish you were here._

_Love,_

_Abby_

_P.S. Stay alive for us. We love you, even Gibbs._

Tony smiled, these letters is what kept driving on, even if they were depressing, it still let him know his best friends and family were real and not just an amazing dream. He pulled a pen and paper out of one of his three field bags and looked to Cameron.

"Abs is pregnant." He said and Cameron nodded.

"Tell her I said congrats." He said while reading his letter.

"'K." He said and started to write on the paper.

_Dear Abby,_

_Congrats, Abs. Tell McDad I'm proud of him. Cameron said congratulations too. And to answer your question, I'm going to lie. Everything's wonderful. But, if you actually want to know what's going on, I'm depressed. I need Ziva, I need my boys, I need little girl, and I need my friends. I hope I get out of here soon. Oh, and I love you all too, Abs. You have no idea how much I miss your perkiness._

_Love, _

_Tony_

Tony folded the paper and stuck it in an envelope. He addressed it and laid it on the bed in front of him. He opened the second letter, which was from McGee.

_Dear Tony,_

_I want to say two things in this letter and that's all:_

_We all miss you. Make sure you stay alive and make sure you get out of there soon._

_I'm a dad to a soon to be born little boy named Michael Anthony Jethro DiNozzo._

_See you soon, _

_McGee_

Tony put the pen to the paper and began to write again.

_Dear Probie,_

_If you're going to use numbers, I will too:_

_I'm going to come home, but not anytime soon. I didn't want to tell Abs, but I've been counting down. I have six months, 7 days, and 4 hours. Don't tell Ziva, she doesn't need to know how long it really will be._

_Congrats, McDad. I'm proud of you._

_Make Ziva smile for me. She needs it._

_Love your partner,_

_Tony_

Tony pulled out the third letter, from Jenny.

_Dear Tony,_

_Jethro is being bull-headed and piss-y (more than usual), Ziva never smiles, your kids miss you, my kids miss you, Abby's never perky, McGee's not well.... tech-y, Ducky never talks anymore, and I'm pissed at everybody. Fun, right. Really Tony, we all miss you. Make sure you stay alive and come back to us._

_Love, _

_Jenny_

Tony's letter to Jenny was short.

_Dear Jen,_

_I'm sorry. I'm trying._

_Love,_

_Tony_

Tony opened the next to last letter from Ducky, which was very short.

_Dear Anthony,_

_We need you back. Hurry, son, but make sure to stay alive._

_Love,_

_Ducky_

Tony looked at Cameron as he finished. "Everybody keeps telling me to stay alive! Don't they know I'm trying?" He said and Cameron laughed.

"My family tells me the same thing, man. It just means they love you." He chuckled.

"But, they keep telling me how depressed everyone is too." He said and Cameron laughed again.

"They want you to know how much they miss you." He said and Tony nodded, opening the next letter that he knew was from Ziva.

_Dear Tony,_

_I miss you, all of us do. But I think Olivia, Maddox, and Jacob miss you the most. They have been begging me to call you ever since they let you call us that time, but I had to explain to them that I could not. I want you to know that I love you. _

_Love,_

_Ziva_

_P.S. Look at the other papers._

Tony pulled out the extra papers in the envelope and looked at them.

The first one had Maddox written across the top in Maddox's favorite color, orange, in the three year old's writing. Down below it was a picture of what he expected to be him, Maddox, Jacob, Olivia, and Ziva. At the bottom was ti amo, I love you in Maddox's favorite language, Italian. Tears started to slip from the corner of Tony's eyes as he looked at the next one from Olivia.

On Olivia's was her name in her favorite color, purple, and a picture of Tony in his uniform. At the bottom was Ani Ohev Otach, I love you in her favorite language, Hebrew.

The last one had Jacob written in yellow, a picture of the Ohio State Mascot, and I love you in Spanish, y te amo.

Tears were falling violently from Tony's eyes now, and Cameron wasn't laughing. Because as Cameron very well knew, there isn't anything funny when a soldier cries.


	6. In The Line of Duty

Tony ran. He ran for his life. He felt edges of paper poke his skin from his uniform's chest pocket, the only things that kept him going on. Letters… the proof that he had a family at home waiting for him.

He was being shot at, and that fact scared him. What scared him more is the sight of Cameron, his only true friend out here, going down in front of him. Tony picked up pace, feeling the burning in his legs from endless days of non-stop running. He kneeled beside his friend, leaning his head low to avoid the bullets whizzing past his head, and saw seven others soldiers there, all his superiors considering he was only privet first class, and all yelling at him too hurry up. He ignored them, as he thought of his friend…. And his friend only.

Out of all the military quotes he had learned in the past two months, one in particular stood out in his mind right now. "Caught in the action of killed or be killed, greater love have no man than to lay down his life for a friend."

That is what made Tony stay and yell over the sound of excessive gun fire and curses in a mix of Arabic and English. "Where you hit?"

"Right leg!" Cameron yelled back loudly and painfully.

"Alright. Come on, on my back." Tony said and Cameron opened his mouth.

"No man…" Cameron started.

"Cameron! This is no time to argue! We are being SHOT AT! Let's go! Just do it!" Tony yelled and Cameron complied. Tony helped him onto his back, trying his best to stay low.

"I need you to…" Tony was blown on his back, feeling sharp pains all over his body. The last thing he remembered seeing was one disgustingly familiar face, and then black.

**NCIS**

Gibbs grimaced as he listened to the argument in Hebrew. He didn't know what they were saying, but he knew it wasn't good.

"Ari! You betrayed me! You betrayed Mossad! You have been out of my life for four years! I thought I killed you in Gibbs's basement! Yes Ari, I thank you for saving Tony, but you shot Kate, Tony's best friend, Ari! You destroyed the lives of so many people! I do not want you back in my life! I never will!" Ziva yelled in Hebrew at her "dead" half-brother. She was fuming and Ari Haswari was letting her get it out of her system before he revealed something that would shock the hell out of those people in the room, Team Gibbs, Ziva's children, and Gibbs's children.

Ari motioned for someone to step out of the shadows when he was sure Ziva was finished.

"He didn't shoot me, Ziva." Kate Todd stepped out of the shadows of the dim hallway, a small little boy, about one or two months old, cradled in one arm and holding the hand of a three or four year old little girl. Ziva was about to question the situation when a doctor walked up, ready for a SitRep on Tony's condition. Ziva's breath immediately hitched as he walked up to her slowly.


	7. Dead, Alive, and Gone

"Special Agent Ziva DiNozzo?" A doctor said as he walked up to her.

"Yes." She said, nodding.

"Shalom… I am Dr. Benjamin Chazan. I suspect this is the family of PFC DiNozzo…" He said and she nodded.

"_Special Agent_ DiNozzo…" Gibbs said and Ziva waved her hand at him, shushing him.

"How is he?" She asked quietly.

"_Special Agent _DiNozzo just got out of surgery. We were able to repair the multiple bullet wounds throughout his body, some two weeks old and others much more recent. We were also able to repair is broken leg, arm, and his collapsed lung. We removed all the pieced of shrapnel from the bomb… but there was not much we could do to help the first degree burns on his chest but dress them and let them heal. Right now he is heavily sedated and will not be awake until, most likely, tomorrow morning." Dr. Chazan finished his sentence and Ziva immediately asked her question.

"Can I take my children back to at least see him?"

"I would not recommend that. He looks, well bad… you may go back and see him, but I would not take children." He said and Ziva nodded, deciding to trust his opinion.

"Okay, where is his room?"

"Strait back, room 171." He said and Ziva nodded, and started to walk to his room. She felt Ari grab her arm. She snatched it away out of his grip and glared at him harshly.

"Ziva… we need to talk. Not argue, talk." Ari said.

"Okay, Ari, you want to talk? I'll start…. I want you gone. I want you out of my life like you were for the last four years. I want nothing to do with a Hamas operative and his apprentice." Ziva spat at them. Ari sighed.

"Ziva, I am still your brother." Ari said.

"See… you do not deny you are Hamas! You are no brother to me. You and your lovely…. Wife here," Ziva started venomously, eyeing the ring on Kate's hand. "Ruined so many people's lives; Gibbs, McGee, Abby… Tony! You are not entering anyone of our lives again." Ziva said and Ari sighed. Kate turned around to the team and looked at them.

"Gibbs…" Kate said and Gibbs shook his head.

"No, Kate…. Ziva's right. You would just ruin everyone's lives again." Gibbs said and Kate turned to McGee.

"McGee?"

"No." McGee said harshly. Kate tried one last person, the softest person she had ever met.

"Abby, please…."

"Why would I want you back, Kate?" Abby asked quietly.

"I thought I would always be your best friend?" Kate said, reflecting on her and Abby's memories.

"I got a new one." Abby said and walked to Ziva's side. McGee and Gibbs followed her, Gibbs pulling peacefully sleeping Olivia and Maddox out of their seats and McGee with Jacob. Haley and Kelly immediately followed their dad. Kate and Ari faced them, non-blinking.

"This is my family." Ziva said and Ari started to speak. "No… shut up. I do not want to hear what ever you think will make things better. Go, now. If you are not out of this hospital in the next five minutes, I will personally make sure you are truly dead this time." Ziva said. Ari nodded, grabbing his daughter and son, and said one last thing to Ziva before he left, never to be wanted by her again.

"I am sorry, Ziva." Ari said.

"Do not apologize. It is a sign of weakness, and you don not want to seem any weaker than you are in the first place. That would be bad in Hamas, yes?" Ziva said and Ari turned around without a word, leaving and never looking at his sister. For he knew, she was dead serious, she never wanted to see him again.


	8. Reunion

Ziva spun around, walking strait back. She needed Tony… she needed to see him. Nobody behind her said anything; they let her go and took their seats again. As Ziva got to the door, she took a deep breath, preparing her self for what she knew would be behind her. When she opened the door, tears started pouring.

Tony was there, his face immaculate, but his chest was covered in layers of bandages that blocked the burns from the outside world, one leg had a heavy cast covering it and the other had stitches covering it from multiple bullet and shrapnel wounds, his arm on the same side also had a cast and the other arm looked like his leg. She was sure there were wounds she could not see, but she didn't want to see them, so that was perfectly fine. She wondered how it was that his face wasn't touched.

Ziva walked up to him slowly and sat in a chair beside his bed. Tears were still falling harshly as she took his hand. She laid her head on the edge of the bed and closed her eyes, willing the tears to stop even though she knew they wouldn't. As she cried, she felt someone squeeze her hand lightly. She looked up, surprised; it couldn't have been Tony could it? It was, to her surprise. She smiled broadly, and he smiled back.

"They told me you would not be awake until morning." She whispered and Tony smiled again, pointing to the bedside clock.

"It is morning, Zee." He said and she looked at it. 2:30 a.m. He was surprised when she didn't smile. He lifted his non-broken arm painfully and made her look at him.

"What's wrong, Ziva?"

"Nothing." She whispered.

"Ari?" Tony asked, remembering his face before he passed out after the bomb. "You want to talk?"

"Ari is gone…. He will not be back. I do not want him back." She said, knowing Tony didn't need to know about Kate. Tony nodded.

"Come here." He said, patting the spot on the bed beside him. Ziva shook her head.

"No, Tony. I will hurt you." Ziva said and Tony grinned.

"Zee, I just lived through a bomb that I STEPPED ON. I think I can handle my 130 pound wife lying with me. Come on, Zee. I haven't touched anything besides your hand in three months. Please?" Tony said and Ziva smiled, carefully climbing in the bed beside him. She laid her head carefully on his shoulder and he grunted.

"Sorry." Ziva said and lifted her head away quickly.

"No, Zee. It's fine." Tony said, pushing her head in his shoulder again. She smiled and laid there carefully as Tony wrapped his mostly in tact arm around her waist.

"I missed you." Tony whispered into her hair, and if anyone wanted him to be honest, he cried, he cried like he hadn't since he left three months ago.

"I missed you too." Ziva whispered back and then said something she hadn't got to directly tell him in months. "I love you."

"I love you too, Zee."


	9. Need

Dr. Chazan walked into Tony's room to find him still awake, but Ziva asleep on his shoulder.

"Ummmm… PFC DiNozzo, I do not think that is good for your body." Dr. Chazan said as he looked at Ziva sleeping peacefully.

"This is better for me than you know, Doc." Tony said brightly as Dr. Chazan smiled.

"Very well…. I will allow it. But, I was here to ask if you would like your family and children to come into the room?" Dr. Chazan said and Tony nodded.

"Let 'em in." He said and Dr. Chazan nodded and started to walk to the door.

"Hey, Doc?" Tony said and Dr. Chazan turned around to face him.

"Yes?"

"Cameron?" He asked and the doctor furrowed his eyebrows.

"Excuse me?"

"Sorry….. I mean, Lance Corporal Stone. I was carrying him on my back when the bomb went off. Is he okay?" Tony asked. Dr. Chazan nodded.

"I have been meaning to ask someone where is family is."

"Cameron only has a mother, who has Alzheimer's and is disabled. She hardly ever remembered to write him letters." Tony said. "How is he?"

"Ummmm…. Lance Corporal Stone is under deep sedation. He had internal bleeding in his abdomen, a severe concussion, and many broken bones including ribs, a leg, and both his arms. He also had severe pneumonia when he came in, and from the scattered dust and the bad conditions in Iraq, it is worse now." Dr. Chazan said and Tony nodded.

"Thanks, Doc. At least he's alive. Can you please get my family?" Tony asked and the doctor nodded. He left and looked down to a peacefully sleeping Ziva. He kissed her forehead just as the team, Haley, Kelly, Olivia, Maddox, and Jacob walked in.

"Daddy!!" The triplets yelled and ran to the bed. Tony put his finger to his lips and pointed to Ziva.

"Mommy's sleeping." He whispered and they nodded.

"Sorry." They breathed and he nodded.

"It's okay." He said and looked at Gibbs. "Hey boss! Can you lift them up here. I would myself, but you know, can't move worth a flip." He said and Gibbs let a thin smile slip. He walked over and somehow got all three kids on the bed along with Tony and Ziva. Tony tried to give each kid a hug, but his movement was limited by Ziva and the many bandages and casts. Gibbs noticed and walked over, lifting Ziva off his shoulder and laying her on the couch.

"I'll put her back up there with you when we leave." Gibbs said and Tony shook his head.

"No. Put her back up here." Tony said firmly, for the first time in seven years, flat out telling Gibbs no. Gibbs nodded, understanding the fact that he needed her. He laid Ziva back beside him and Ziva immediately snuggled up to his side in her sleep.

"Thanks." Tony said and Gibbs nodded, then slapped his head lightly.

"If you ever tell me no again, I'll put your ass on the floor." He said and Tony chuckled.

"I got it, boss."

"Good." Gibbs said. "So, how was your time in Iraq?" He asked as Maddox, Olivia, and Jacob got situated on the bed. Jacob decided that he got the opposite side as Ziva, Olivia was sitting in between Tony's legs with her head lying lightly on the leg that wasn't broken, and Maddox was lying in Ziva's lap against Tony while she slept.

"It was hell, literally." Tony said and Gibbs laughed.

"I know how it feels." He said. "It least you won't have to go back for awhile."

"Yeah." Tony said and smiled. He felt Jacob get closer to his side and looked at all three triplets. They were all sleeping, peacefully. He wasn't surprised, it was 5:30 in the morning. Gibbs noticed too.

"We're going to a hotel down the road. Want us to take Olivia, Maddox, and Jacob?" Gibbs said and Tony shook his head.

"No. They're fine here."

"Come on, Tony. They have to be hurting you, sitting on top of you like that." Abby said and Tony nodded.

"Yea, but I need them here. I need them, Abs." He said and Abby nodded.

"Okay."


	10. French, Italian, and bad Hebrew

Tony woke up to find Ziva, Olivia, Maddox, and Jacob still sleeping peacefully at his side. It was then he realized how much sleep Ziva had lost when he was gone to the nightmares, usually featuring his death. He heard someone clear their throat beside him apologetically.

"_Sir… Lance Corporal Stone is awake and requesting your presence._" A young intern said with a wheelchair in a badly accented Hebrew. Tony grinned, hearing his strong French accent, and silently thanked God for Ziva adding Hebrew, Russian, Arabic, German, Yiddish, and right now, most of all, French, over the three years they had been married to his mental book that he like to think of as, "The Book of Languages Anthony DiNozzo Is Fluent In" that had already contained Spanish, Italian, and English. H glanced at the intern's name tag at the intern's name tag and answered in French.

"Vous êtes français, Anton?" Tony said as more of a statement. Anton nodded. _**(You are French, Anton?)**_

"Oui, PFC DiNozzo. Vous m'aiment vous porter de lance à la pièce de Stone's corporelle?" Anton said, immediately switching to French. Tony smiled lightly. _**(Yes, PFC DiNozzo. Would you like me to take you to Lance Corporal Stone's room?)**_

"Oui. Merci, Anton. Juste donnez-moi une minute." Tony said and Anton nodded. _**(Yes. Thank you, Anton. Just give me a minute.) **_Tony reached over with his broken arm and brushed Ziva's hair, whispering to her in Italian, knowing Italian always woke her up better than English or Hebrew.

"Ziva…. dovete alzarti. Acceso, Zee." Tony whispered. _**(Ziva…. You have to get up. Come on, Zee.)**_ She groaned and mumbled, half asleep, back to him Italian, just like she always did when he woke her up in another language.

"Non desidero a." _**(I do not want to.)**_

"Dovete, Zee. Cameron desidera vederlo. Potete dormire nella base mentre sono andato." Tony said and Ziva's eyes immediately shot open.

"No! Sono in su! Sto venendo anche." She said and climbed out of the bed. She moved Jacob out of Tony's way and helped Anton get him into the wheelchair. Tony whimpered painfully as he sat down and Ziva frowned.

"I am sorry." She said, finally switching back to English.

"It's fine, Zee. Give me one of the kids. You'll have to get the other two if you can." He said and she nodded. She reached for the child closest to them, Olivia, and sat her gently on his lap, then grabbed Maddox and Jacob in her arms. Anton realized she was having a hard time and spoke in perfect English, not knowing until now that they knew the language.

"I can get one of them if you want, Mrs. DiNozzo. I will get a nurse to take PFC DiNozzo down to the room." He said and Ziva smiled.

"That is okay, Doctor." Ziva said, finally getting Maddox and Jacob situated to where she could carry them. "I got them. I have done this many times before."

"Okay, but I am not a doctor, just an intern. You may call me Anton." He said and Ziva nodded.

"Okay, Anton. We are ready." Ziva said and he nodded, taking them to the room.


	11. Two Soldiers and a Family

Anton wheeled Tony into Cameron's room, Ziva following behind with Maddox and Jacob. Cameron was sitting up in bed, anticipating Tony's arrival.

"Hey man, you look bad." Cameron said and Tony chuckled. He looked as bad as Tony felt, which was bad. He hid the great pain that had been coursing through his body ever since he woke up with his usual chipper, joking attitude, so Ziva wouldn't worry more than she had.

"I feel bad. But man... You look worse." He said and Tony smiled. Anton backed into the shadows and Tony looked at him.

"Anton, my man! Come on! Converse with us!" Tony said and Anton smiled. He shook his head and smiled thinly.

"I can not, PFC DiNozzo. I have to get back to work." He said and Tony nodded.

"Okay, but man, call me Tony. Oh, and if you want to know, this is Cameron Stone. Cameron, this is Anton Benito." He said and Anton nodded.

"Very well, Tony. Goodbye." He said and left the room, but stuck his head back in after a few moments. "Oh… and Dr. Chazan told me to let you know that you are being transferred to DC in two days."

"Okay… thanks, Anton!" Tony said happily than looked at Cameron. "Okay… well, Cameron. This is my amazing wife, Ziva." Tony said, lifting the hand that was entwined with Ziva's to gesture towards her...

"Lance Corporal Cameron Stone, m'am. I have heard a lot about you." Cameron said, sticking out one of his plaster covered arms. "You can call me Cameron."

"Very well, you may call me Ziva." Ziva said, smiling widely.

"This is my daughter, Olivia; she's the oldest of the three. Her favorite color is purple, her favorite cartoon is the Wonder Pets, her favorite food is any form of chicken, she has a mix between mine and Zee's personality, her favorite movie is Cars, and she can speak Italian, Hebrew, Spanish, and English. Her favorite language is Hebrew." Tony said, smiling down to the peacefully sleeping form in his lap.

"Impressive." Cameron said and Tony smiled.

"Yep. Anyways, this is Maddox; he's the youngest. He can speak three other languages too. His favorite cartoon is Handy Manny, he acts just like his mom, his favorite food is sausage and pineapple pizza, his favorite language is Italian, his favorite movie is Monsters vs. Aliens, and his favorite color's orange." Tony said, nodding his head towards Maddox. "This is Jacob, the middle child; he's multi-lingual, his favorite color is yellow, his favorite language is Spanish, his favorite food is any form of Chinese or Japanese food, he acts just like me, and his favorite show is Diego, and his favorite movie is Meet the Robinsons."

"Wow, you know a lot about your kids man. Bet you don't know that much about Ziva." He said, winking at her. She smiled back and Tony grinned.

"I bet I do."

"Prove it."

"Her favorite show is the Ellen DeGeneres Show, her favorite food is plain cheese pizza, her favorite language is Italian, her favorite movie is the Sound of Music, and her favorite color is red. Oh, and she can speak, let's see, Russian, Hebrew, English, German, Yiddish, Spanish, French, and Italian." Tony smiled triumphantly.

"You did well, Tony. You actually got all of it right." She said and he smiled.

"Yep, I'm good like that." He laughed and Cameron smiled, then looked at Ziva.

"Ziva, you can lay the kids down on the bed. It won't hurt me." Cameron said and Ziva nodded.

"Toda." She said and Cameron nodded.

"Al lo Davar. I was never told you are Israeli." Cameron said, looking to Tony and he shrugged.

"It didn't seem relevant." Tony said and Ziva looked at Cameron.

"You speak Hebrew?"

"Not well. A few phrases here and there." Cameron said modestly.

"He's fluent in Hebrew, French, Italian, Spanish, and German." Tony corrected him and Ziva smiled.

"We will have to find a new language to use for privacy." She said and Tony grinned.

"Russian?" He suggested and she looked around thoughtfully.

"It is unusual for us, but I am sure it will work." She said and everyone laughed, for some odd reason. It just felt good for them to all be together and safe.


	12. 4 and 12 Months

**(A/N: I would apologize for it taking me so long to update, but it's a sign of weakness, so I'll just told you what took so long …. I was grounded for three weeks… no computer, no video games, no nothing, but she did let me watch NCIS on Tuesdays, she said she didn't want to be cruel. I tried to sneak my computer, but my mom wouldn't leave me alone at the house for more than five minutes at a time.)**

Tony and Ziva sat in the front of Tony's Mustang. Now, after a week and a half in the Israeli hospital and almost two month in Bethesda, Tony got to go home. Luckily, his breaks hadn't been as bad as they could have been, because now he had an uncovered leg (it was still weak, but there was no cast or fracture boot) and a perfectly healed arm. Honestly, he was still in pain with the burns and a few stitches left covering his legs and arms, but that was okay, because he was getting out of the hospital and getting to be home with his kids and wife like normal.

Well, it was sort of like normal…. Cameron was staying with them. Doctor's orders…. Cameron had to have some one look after him at all times as it was still possible for a relapse in his previously traumatic condition, and considering Cameron had no able family…. Either it was another four weeks in the hospital or the DiNozzo household. Let's see…. What would you pick? Even with screaming and crying three year olds, Tony and Ziva's house was still better than the coddling nurses and dry doctors at Bethesda.

Ziva pulled into the driveway at her normal overly fast speed, which Tony had thankfully become used to.

"We are here." She announced, stepping out quickly.

"Ohhhh….. Very nice." Cameron said from the back, commenting on the house. It was large, not fancy, but just one of those large, suburban homes, just this time with a blue, clear pool in the back, a tree house built by Gibbs, and a play structure.

"A gift from my father… trying to repair a bad relationship." Ziva flinched noticeably as she flashed back to Somalia.

"Didn't help?"

"No. He put it in our name though, couldn't take it back." Tony said flatly before Ziva could, sending the message that it was not to be elaborated on.

"Okay, Gibbs and Jenny are bringing Olivia, Maddox, and Jacob back later… should we go inside." Ziva said, acting as if nothing had happened.

"Yeah, guess so." Tony said, getting out slowly, but successfully without Ziva's help. But, it took both of them to get Cameron out. He looked like with two plastic robot arms that Velcro-ed to keep his arm in place and a fracture boot.

When they were inside, Tony collapsed on the couch and smiled broadly.

"It's good to be home." He said dreamily.

"Yes, it is. I have not been in the house for four and a half months, since you left." She said. Honestly, she didn't mean to let that tid-bit of information slip, but it kind of slipped out.

"_Ziva, where did you go?" _Tony asked, automatically switching to their new "privet" language of choice, Russian. **(A/N: Can use real translations like I usually do. Russians have their own little alphabet.)**

Ziva started walk up the stairs and Tony immediately followed. She wanted actual privacy, he understood. They entered their room and Ziva sat on the corner of the bed.

"Gibbs. I couldn't stand to be here… with all your things, without you here. Tony, I missed you. I was completely out of it the whole time you were gone. Gibbs and Jenny pretty much took care of the kids the whole time up until you got back a month ago." She whispered as he sat beside her. He could see her eyes grow wetter as the silence pressed on them.

"Well…. I'm here now, and I won't be going anywhere for awhile." He said. He pulled her to his side.

"But, Tony, you will have to go back. Maybe not now, but both you and Cameron will have to go back." She said. As long as she had held the tears in, they came now at the mere thought of him going back and possibly dying.

"I know, Zee, and I'm sorry." He whispered and he pulled her back against the pillows and pulled her as close to his chest as possible. "But, you're not going to lose me. I won't let that happen. I won't leave you and I won't be leaving the kids." Tony felt his own tears slide down his cheeks and watched them fall into Ziva's hair.

"I love you, baby. I'm sorry." He whispered.

"I know. I love you, too." Ziva mumbled against Tony's wet shirt. Tony heard someone knock on the door quietly.

"Come in." Tony said and Ziva pulled away from him slightly to adjust her self to where she was on the pillows with Tony's arm around her instead of half on top of him. Jenny walked in the door quietly and Ziva wiped away the residue the tears left.

"Olivia and Jacob are asleep in their rooms and Maddox is downstairs playing with Cameron." She said. Tony nodded.

"Thanks, Jen." He said and she nodded.

"Yeah…. Gibbs wants to talk to you later. Just come over." She said and Tony nodded.

"I will, Jen."

"Okay. Bye." She said, leaving. Tony kissed Ziva's forehead and settled down beside her. He felt her catch his lips in hers.

"I love you."

"I love you too, Zee."


	13. A Big Surprise For Tony

When Tony woke up, he was sweating. Although, that could've been due to the fact that Ziva was curled up in a ball on his right side with her head on his shoulder, Olivia directly on top of him laying on his chest, and Maddox and Jacob were squeezed up against his left side. And honestly, Tony didn't think he could've been any more comfortable. Yes, he was burning up, his arm was hurting where Ziva had been laying on it all night, and he could barely breathe without knocking Olivia off and onto her brothers, but he loved it. Being close to them is what he had wanted for the past four and a half months, and now he had what he wanted, and more.

He glanced at the clock, 5:00 a.m., if there was one thing the Marines taught him it was get up on time, early. He sighed and pulled his arm away from Ziva's waist and out from around Maddox and Marshall unwillingly. As he sat up, he caught Olivia's back, making sure to keep her from falling off, and laid her down where he once laid. He saw Ziva stir lightly when he climbed around her to get off the bed. She opened her eyes slowly.

"Sorry, baby. I didn't mean to wake you up." He whispered, running his hand through her hair and kissing her forehead lightly. "Go back to sleep, I'm going to take a shower. I'll be downstairs when you wake back up." Ziva nodded groggily, Tony wasn't even really sure if she was fully awake, but she turned her head away and automatically pulled the triplets closer. He smiled lightly and walked into the bathroom, jumping in the shower.

It wasn't long until he was out, in a pair of black basketball shorts and a tight black short-sleeve Under Armour shirt that showed off his new six pack (which Ziva had been very impressed by and that he was very proud of) that he gained from those months working out with the core. Over that, he slipped on his grey t-shirt with USMC written in big block letters over it and bounded down the stairs.

He walked into the kitchen, it was only 5:20, and nobody was awake now and no one, besides maybe Ziva, would be awake until around 11:00 or 12:00. Cameron, although he usually woke up at the same time as Tony, had some kind of pain pill that knocked him out completely and the kids never woke up until later. No since in making breakfast now.

Tony grabbed a can of Pepsi and went into the living room containing deep brown walls lined with white shelves full of movies from all eras and his glorious 72' wall mounted flat screen TV.

Plopping down on the large, cushy, beige suede couch, he looked at the pictures mounted on the wall behind him. Around a large picture containing Gibbs, McGee, Abby, Ducky, Palmer, him, Maddox, Haley, Kelly, Jacob, Olivia, and Ziva was pictures arranged smartly by Abby and Ziva of smaller groups and individuals. One had him sitting on Ziva's desk and leaning down to kiss her innocently while Gibbs was out of sight, another had Haley, Kelly, Jacob, Maddox, and Olivia smiling brightly outside playing in the snow in their backyard, and one more had Gibbs as he kissed Abby's forehead lightly, thanking her for the information she had given. Besides those there was one of Ducky and Palmer, looking to the camera and smiling brightly as they all sat in a bar on a late Friday night after a hard case and one of McGee and Abby playing Call of Duty on Tony's Xbox, Abby's tounge stuck between her teeth and McGee's leg in the air as he tried to beat her (Abby won).

Tony smiled and pushed play. He couldn't remember the last movie he watched. He looked at the start menu, the Ugly Truth.

He chuckled lightly…. He had watched that with Ziva, it was hilarious. That night at 11:45, they had both been dying laughing at that movie's hilarious, disgusting humor and Katherine Heigl's "happy" dance. In Tony's opinion, Gerard Butler was amazing in that movie. Might as well watch it.

Tony pushed play, and the movie went by fast. Half way through it, he heard someone come down the stairs. He turned to look. It was Ziva, her hair thrown into a bun to keep the water from her shower from dripping everywhere, walking down the stairs slowly in a pair of bright yellow Under Armour shorts that stopped mid-thigh and a navy blue hoodie with NCIS written in the same color yellow letters. It was July, and Ziva was wearing a hoodie, was she always cold? The answer to that was yes. As she plopped down beside him, she pulled the brown fleece off the back of the couch and draped it over herself and laid her head down in his lap and legs across the couch.

"'Morning." Tony said brightly, leaning down and kissing her lips.

"Good morning." She said tiredly, yawning. "What time is it? I never looked at the clock."

"Six. It's early." He said and she nodded.

"No earlier than usual." She said smartly. He smiled thinly.

"It's actually late for me now." He said and she didn't say anything for awhile.

"The Marines changed so much for you." She whispered after awhile of Tony watching the movie inattentively.

"For the good or for the better?" Tony asked quietly.

"Over all, I do not know. I do not want you to change. I liked your childish humor and e way you played with the kids. I do not think that has really changed, but I just think it has not come back out yet." She said, she faced away from him, but he could tell she was thinking hard by the sound of her voice.

"Ziva, I haven't changed… I was just stuck in the hospital. I couldn't play, they wouldn't let me. But, I think that what you're really scared of is that you're going to lose me. But, Ziva, you're not going to. I'm not going to die. I can't leave you behind; I can't leave any of you behind." He said, he was using his intuitive side, and Ziva hated the fact that he was right.

"Do not promise me something that you do not know you can keep." She whispered. He frowned.

"I can keep this problem. I won't leave you, Ziva. I love you, the team, and the kids way too much for that." Tony ran his fingers through her hair repeatedly. "Ziva, why are you so scared you're going to lose me, it's weird. Normally, you wouldn't act like this."

Tony was curious, he could understand the day he came back, battered and broken, but why now? Why was she so scared now? He saw her hand move absentmindedly to her stomach and it hit him.

"Ziva, are you pregnant again?" He asked worriedly. "Ziva, please, you have to tell me. Don't let me back not knowing if I have a new son or daughter."

"Yes, Tony." She whispered and he put his head in his hands. Ziva sat up and looked at him.

"How far are you?" He mumbled into his hands.

"Five months, and before you ask, I did not tell anyone besides you. I never gained much weight with the triplets; I look the same as usual with only one child." She said.

"Boy or girl?"

"Girl." Ziva said, trying to pry his hands from his face.

"Why didn't you tell me? You could have told me in a letter or something." He said and Ziva shook her head and looked away from him, trying to hide the tears that started to form.

"I did not want you to be distracted, whether it be by happiness or anger, and get yourself killed. I did not want to lose you." She mumbled.

"Why didn't you tell me when I got back?"

"You were in a fragile position. The shock or anger could have made you relapse." She said. The word anger hit Tony hard.

"You thought I would be mad at you? Ziva, it's my fault too, but why would I be mad anyways? Zee, I love you and I will love my little girl, I promise." He said and pulled her into his lap.

"Thank you, Tony. I love you, too." She mumbled against his chest. Tony nodded.

"So, any ideas for a name for my new mini Ziva?" He asked and Ziva chuckled.

"Same old Tony, I guess you did not change at all." She said and Tony smiled and kissed her forehead.

"I told you so."


	14. Normal Conversations

Tony and Ziva stood in the kitchen five hours later after watching multiple movies including The Ugly Truth, Bourne Supremacy, and on Ziva's insistence, The Sound of Music. Now that Cameron had woken up though, he was sitting at the kitchen table with the triplets while Tony and Ziva were cooking for the short notice cook out that had been planned at eight that morning. Cameron, having given them cooking tips from the great state of Tennessee, was doing his best to both teach Ziva how to make potato salad and keep Maddox, Olivia, and Jacob occupied.

"Okay, finally, you're finished! Now I can try and keep them in their seats! Why are your kids so hyper?" Cameron said and Ziva pointed to Tony.

"It's his fault." She said. "I'm no where near that hyper." Tony grinned.

"Just wait until the new one gets here!" He said brightly.

"New one? Ziva, is he delusional?" Cameron said, raising his eyebrows. Ziva grinned.

"Oh! I forgot, no one else knows! Ziva, Cameron, is pregnant with my little girl who is due here on December 1st, which is going to suck because it's just more presents considering the triplets were born on December 3rd. Let's hope Ziva goes over her due date by about, let's see, 20 days." Tony said and Ziva scoffed.

"Ummmm… no. You're not the one who's pregnant." Ziva said and Cameron laughed.

"Ziva, you don't look pregnant." He said and she smiled thinly, grabbing a picture off the wall. She held it up to him. It was a picture of her, barely bigger than her normal size, which is tiny.

"I was pregnant with Maddox, Olivia, and Jacob here." She said and Cameron's mouth dropped open.

"How much did they weigh when they were born?" He asked.

"Olivia was 3'8, Maddox was 5'9, and Jacob was 4'5, but that is a result of them being two months premature. They were not actually due until February 6th." She said and he nodded.

"I see." Ziva nodded and sat down after doing the last of the cooking.

"Mommy? What are you, daddy, and Cameron talking about?" Jacob asked.

"Jacob, mommy is going to have another baby." Tony said happily. "You and your brother and sister are going to have a little sister."

"Oh! Cool!" Maddox said.

"Yes, it is very cool." Tony said.

"What's her name?" Olivia asked curiously. Tony looked at Ziva and she shrugged.

"I don't know, honey. What do you all want to name her?" Tony asked.

"Ummmm…." Olivia said, thinking.

"Dora!" Jacob yelled. Cameron started bursting out laughing.

"I swear, Jacob should have been born Mexican, not an Italian-American Hebrew person, whatever you all are! He talks in Spanish all the time." Cameron said and Tony and Ziva smiled. They didn't know what to consider their kids either; they weren't fully Italian, Hebrew, or American. Italian-American Jews? Nah, probably not.

"Sorry, bud. We can't name your sister Dora." Tony said.

"Awwww…." Jacob said sadly.

"Why don't you ask what name mommy likes?" Tony said and Olivia looked at Ziva.

"Mommy, what do you want to name my sister?" She asked.

"Nevaeh? It is heaven spelled backwards." Ziva suggested. **(Okay, do NOT make fun of that name. It's an awesome name.)**

"Maybe a middle name, but I don't like it for a first name. How about Elizabeth?" Tony said and Ziva nodded.

"No, it is too proper. It would not mix well with Maddox, Olivia, and Jacob." Ziva said and Tony nodded.

"I guess you're right." Tony said. Cameron stared at them in disbelief; they were having a normal conversation, who knew that was possible. "What about Natalia. It was your sister's name, we could call her Tali."

"Yes, thank you Tony." Ziva smiled and he nodded.

"Of course, Zee." Tony said and he continued on the subject of names.

"Ziva's going to be in there too. Jacob has mine, Tali's going to have yours." He said and she nodded, he wasn't going to budge so there was no since in arguing.

"Okay so, the name is…." She said.

"Natalia Ziva DiNozzo." He said and she nodded.

"What do you think, Cameron?" She asked.

"I just amazed you two can have a completely normal conversation." He said, shrugging his shoulders. Ziva rolled her eyes and Tony laughed.

"Me too, man." He said and Cameron laughed.

"About the name, Cameron." Ziva said and he nodded.

"I like it." He said as the doorbell rang. She smiled, letting Abby, McGee, Haley, Kelly, Gibbs, Ducky, and Jenny in. It was good to have her family near her.


	15. Shock

**3 Months Later:**

Ziva stood at the stove, now eight months pregnant (still tiny, lucky for her), cooking dinner. Cameron was still in the house in November, even though he was completely healed now, but his landlord kicked him out, so for now, he lived with them. Half way through cooking, the phone rang.

"Shalom." Ziva said into the receiver, propping it between her shoulder and ear.

"Hello, is PFC Anthony DiNozzo there?" A man with a deep voice asked. Ziva, assuming it was a friend from the team he was with in battle, replied normally. Ziva had always been taught it was not good to assume.

"No, Tony is out at the park with our children. This is his wife, Special Agent Ziva DiNozzo." She said. "Who is this?"

"Gunnery Sergeant Justin Walker, m'am, Tony's commanding officer." He said.

"Yes, Tony calls you Jud. Would you like me to take a message for him?" She asked. She felt like one of the little wives that took care of their husbands every need as she said it.

"No, m'am. This is serious, is there any other way I can reach him?" The sergeant asked.

"Ummmm… yes, his cellphone, Gunnery Sergeant, what is going on?" She said. She heard him sigh across the line.

"Tony is being deployed to Iraq again in three weeks, on my team again." He said and Ziva dropped the phone. She stood there for a moment, listening to the Marine on the other end saying her name expectantly. She picked it back up.

"Ummmm…. Yes, thank you. I will tell him." She said. She hung up the phone before the man could say anything else. Cameron came into the kitchen eating a sandwich he had made a few minutes earlier. One sight at Ziva's pale skin and the beads of sweat covering her face made him throw it to the ground and run to her as water hit the floor. Great, she was about to go into labor.

"Ziva… Ziva, what's going on? What happened?" Cameron asked, picking her up easily and carrying her to the couch in the living room.

"Tony…. He's leaving again, two weeks." She said and Cameron sighed. He knew this would hit her hard, but this wasn't what he expected, although, he hadn't expected she was pregnant either.

"Okay…. Let's go." He said, picking her up again and taking her to the mini cooper in the garage. He sat her in the passenger seat and went to the driver's side. "I'll call Tony, Abby, and Gibbs on the way." He said. He pulled out of the garage quickly, driving like Ziva as he called Tony on the way to Bethesda.

"Tony! Man, Ziva went into labor!" Cameron said. "We're going to Bethesda now."

"What… wait, how? Who? When?" He said and Cameron sighed.

"I think it was Jud who called, but he told her you were being deployed again in two weeks." He said and Tony yelled, scaring the hell out of Maddox, Jenny, Haley, Kelly, Abby, Olivia, Jacob, and McGee, making Abby and Tim's month old newborn, Michael, start crying, and causing Gibbs to look at him harshly.

"Damn it! Why didn't he just call my cell! It's on my file! Damn it, Justin!" Tony yelled, buckling in the triplets in the car hurriedly and jumping in. "I'm on my way." He said and hung up. He rolled down the window of the Mustang and looked at Gibbs.

"Ziva went into labor because of Jud telling her I was being deployed. We have to get to Bethesda." Tony said, rolling up the window without and answer, pulling out of his parking space and driving down the road like a madman, Gibbs and surprisingly, McGee, following closely behind. It was no time before they were there and Tony jumped out, yelling at Gibbs.

"Get the kids! I have to get to Ziva!" He yelled, already half way to the emergency doors. He ran to the reception desk. "Ziva DiNozzo… she just went into labor. I'm her husband!" He yelled at the nurse.

"Room 717, just down the hall. They are prepping a room for her now. She's in very bad shape; stress on the baby is dangerous. It was something about you being deployed. There is already a man back there." She said and Tony started running. He ran into the room, busting through the door and leaving a hole in the wall where the doorknob hit it. Cameron suppressed an unneeded smirk.

"Ziva! Ziva, honey." He said, running to her bedside. He laid his head on her stomach carefully, knowing how much pain she was in, physically, emotionally, and mentally. "I'm so sorry…. I'm sorry, Ziva. It's all my fault." He mumbled against her stomach, feeling her hand run through his hair soothingly.

"Tony… look at me." She said, trying to hide the pain from her voice unsuccessfully. "Please, Tony." Tony looked up at her, seeing tear stains on her face.

"Tony, it is NOT your fault. You are serving your country." She said, bringing her face to his and kissing him lightly.

"The country is no where near as damn important as my wife and my children." He said, looking at her face sadly. "Ziva, if we lose her…." He whispered.

"Shhhh… We're not going to lose her." She said. "Do not even say something like that. We will NOT lose her." Ziva said sternly. Tony nodded obediently, but he could hear the tone in her voice that meant she was about to go into hysterics. He didn't blame her. Who would?


	16. Going, Gone

**Two Weeks Later:**

Ziva sat in the passenger seat of their new mini van, Tony beside her in the driver's seat in his dress blues, and the triplets in the next row, and their new born and Cameron, also in his dress blues, in the back. No contact was being made and no one was attempting to make conversation. It was deathly quiet as they stepped out of the car and onto the grounds of the Washington Marine Base. Tony walked in front, everyone else slowed behind him. They reached Jud and Cameron and Tony stood at attention.

"At ease, Marine. Go say bye to your family." He said quietly. Tony nodded shortly and both he and Cameron walked back. He kneeled in front of the triplets and brought all three of them into his arms. Yes, he cried, and he wasn't ashamed to admit it.

"I love you three. I want you to know that right now. I love you, Cameron loves you, Tali loves you, and mommy loves you." Tony whispered.

"We love you too, daddy." Jacob said and Tony could hear the tears in his voice.

"I'll miss you." He said. He kissed each of their foreheads and hugged them one last time. "I love you." He said as he stood up in front of Ziva. She automatically handed him the two week old Natalia and he held her against his chest.

"Ziva, I'm sorry." He whispered, hugging her against his chest without crushing Tali.

"I know you are." She mumbled and he kissed her. She pulled away and reached behind her neck, pulling off her Star of David. She placed it in his empty hand then closed it around it.

"Keep this; it will help you know we are still here waiting for you." She whispered, tears pouring from her eyes.

Holding back his own tears, Tony shook his head. "This was Tali's, Zee. It could get broken or I could lose…." Ziva put her mouth on his and kissed him deeply, pulling the Star of David from his hand. When she pulled away, she put the necklace around his own neck.

"It does not matter. If I do not have that, but I still have you, it would not matter." She said. He let his own tears fall and pulled her to his chest.

"I love you, Zee." He whispered, kissing the top of her head.

"I love you too." She said and pulled away. Tony kissed Natalia's forehead and handed her back to Ziva. Nodding his last goodbye, he stepped back and allowed Cameron to say bye to what he called his "new family".

He hugged Ziva and whispered something in her ear inaudibly which she nodded to. He pulled away and put both his hands on the side of her face and kissed her forehead in a brotherly way. Then, he kissed Tali's cheek and kneeled down in front of the triplets and said goodbye to each of them, tickling them to make them forget their tears and smile. Tony smiled thinly as Cameron walked back to him.

"I don't want to do this." Tony whispered.

"Me either." Cameron said and they turned around to look at Jud.

"Ready to go?" He asked and they nodded. Jud handed them two bags each and they followed him to the small, cramped cargo jet and climbed in. Tony gave Ziva a last look that gave away every emotion swirling in his head right now; fear, guilt, sadness, and everything else that made up the big black pool of emotions in Tony's stomach and head that made him want to puke. He clutched the necklace Ziva had put there, feeling all six points stick his skin, as the door closed and blocked him from his friends and family for the next five months.


	17. Pain

**Two Weeks After Tony's Departure:**

**(A/N: Tony left on November 16****th****, exactly two weeks from when his new daughter, Natalia, was born on November 2****nd****.)**

December 1st, two weeks since Tony left and two days until the triplets' birthday. Ziva had been counting the days. She shook the thought out of her head as she stood from the couch, Tali in her arms, to lay her in her crib for the night.

She walked into the deep purple room that Tony had painted for Tali. The white crib and chester drawers stuck out beautifully. So did the wooden block letters spelling out Natalia on the west wall.

She laid Tali in the crib and ran her hand through her dark brown hair and kissed her olive toned cheek. She rose up and was faced with the picture of Tony in his dress blues, his lips strait and unsmiling, but you could she the smile that he couldn't show in his eyes. Ziva didn't really know why she put it there, maybe it was to let Tali know why her father wasn't going to be there the first five months of her life, or maybe it was so she could know her father's face. She didn't know, but she felt the need for it to be there. She switched off the light and walked back into the living room, making sure to switch Olivia, Maddox, and Jacob's lights off and then sat down on the couch.

She opened her laptop and was about to go on her Facebook when her cellphone rang from the counter in the kitchen. She sighed and put her computer down on the coffee table, walking to her phone. She flipped it open and put it to her ear.

"Shalom." She said, walking back in the living room and sitting down on the couch.

"Hey!" Tony's voice came through the phone and Ziva grinned broadly.

"Tony!" She said brightly.

"Yup! It's me! How's my amazing wife doing?" Tony asked. You could hear the happiness in his voice.

"Fine. How are you?" She asked.

"As good as you can be out in the middle of the desert." He said and she laughed. "Don't tell Olivia, Maddox, and Jacob, but I sent them something for their birthday."

"That's good. They were upset that you were missing their birthday and Christmas too." She said.

"Yeah, sorry. But, anyways, how is my little girl?" Tony asked.

"Natalia is fine." She said.

"Good. Turn on your computer for me." He said.

"It is already on." Ziva said, looking at it. Tony's face came up on the screen and he hung up the phone.

"Hey, Zee!" He said. She smiled.

"How did you get a connection?" She asked, surprised.

"A lot of hard work on mine and Cameron's behalf. Speak of the devil, here's Cameron now" Tony said. "Cameron! Come say hi!" He yelled. Cameron was soon on the right side of Tony's face.

"Hey, Ziva!" Cameron said, smiling. "Where are my little buddies?"

"Natalia, Olivia, Jacob, and Maddox are sleeping." She said, hearing someone walk up behind her. "Well, maybe." She said, turning around to see all three triplets walking up to her sleepily, until they saw Tony's face.

"Daddy!" Olivia yelled, coming to sit beside Ziva. Natalia started crying at the loud commotion and Ziva stood to go get her.

"I'll be right back." She said, winking at Tony. He nodded and he and Cameron started talking to the triplets. Ziva came back shortly and sat in the middle of the three kids, Tali now quietly cradled in her arms. Ziva saw someone walk up behind Tony and lean down.

"Who you talking to, DiNozzo?" A large man with a military haircut asked in a strongly evident southern accent.

"This is my family, Jud." Tony replied. Jud smiled.

"Care to introduce me?" He asked.

"Sure. Ziva, this is Gunnery Sergeant Justin Walker." Tony said.

"I talked to him over the phone and he made me go into early labor." She said, smiling. Jud smiled back thinly.

"Yeah, sorry 'bout that, m'am." He said.

"It is okay, Gunnery Sergeant, but do not call me m'am. Call me Ziva." She said. He nodded.

"You can call me Jud." He said, turning to Tony. "Your children, DiNozzo?"

"Yes, this is our oldest daughter, Olivia, our two sons, Jacob and Maddox, and our month old daughter, Tali." Tony said and Jud nodded.

"Didn't you tell me that they spoke three other languages?" He asked. Tony nodded.

"Impressive." Jud said and Tony smiled.

"I know." Tony stated proudly. Ziva smiled and was about to start talking again when all of the sudden there was a loud booming noise from Tony's end of the connection that was accompanied by bright red fire catching on the collapsed back end of the army green tent and people's bodied who had been hit flying away from their resting areas, computers, and phones limply.

Tony, Jud, and Cameron's heads started flying around, accessing the damage done, and they grabbed their large guns beside them. Cameron and Jud started running, firing at infiltrating Middle Eastern men and Tony looked back at Ziva quickly. She could see the bullets hit the ground and throw up dirt behind him.

"Al Qaeda?" Ziva asked worriedly. He nodded.

"Zee, I have to go. I love you, know that." He yelled over the sounds of gun shots, bombs dropping, and a yelling in a mix of English from the soldiers there, Hebrew from the Mossad and the IDF, and Arabic from the infiltrators.

Ziva didn't get a chance to respond before Tony shut the screen to shove it in his bag quickly.

"I love you, too." Ziva whispered, staring at the black screen. Honestly, she didn't really know what to feel as she pulled her shocked triplets and a screaming and crying baby to her chest.


	18. Fire

"Gibbs?" Ziva asked sobbed into the phone receiver after putting Natalia, Olivia, Maddox, and Jacob back to bed and assuring them everything would be okay even though she really didn't believe it herself.

"What's wrong, Ziva? It's twelve o'clock, what's going on?" He asked groggily.

"Tony…." Ziva started to explain when Gibbs interrupted her.

"I'll be right there." Gibbs said. He hung up before she could get a response out. She put down the phone and pulled her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around them and sobbing. She had never broken down like this, never.

**NCIS**

Ziva expected it to take at least ten minutes for Gibbs to get there, but was surprised when he knocked on the door just five minutes after they hung up the phone.

"Ziva?" He called her name softly through the door. Ziva uncurled herself from her ball, trying unsuccessfully to wipe away the constantly flowing tears as she walked to the door. When she opened it Gibbs immediately wrapped her in a warm, fatherly, welcome hug and she started sobbing harder.

He walked Ziva her over to the couch and sat down with her, letting her sob into his neck. After some of the tears had subsided, he asked her what happened. She took a deep breath to prevent her sentences from breaking and started, silent tears still on her cheeks.

"About two hours ago, I guess, Tony called me. He was able to get a connection and we switched to a live computer feed. The kids saw him and we talked for awhile, but it was cut off when Al Qaeda dropped multiple bombs close to their tent, the closest was on the other side of their tent, behind them. Tony, Cameron, and Justin were at the computer at the time and did not get hurt. But, Tony left to fight. You could hear the yelling in Arabic, the only thing that was distinguishable over the English and Hebrew was "Allah" All he told me before he left is goodbye and I love you. He could die, Gibbs. He probably will." She whispered, he sentences breaking every once in a while despite her efforts to keep them fluent. He hugged her tightly.

**(A/N: Any Muslims reading this, do not be offended. I do respect Islam and I have nothing against Muslims. I know not all of you are bad people, but I do have something against Al Qaeda.)**

"Shhhh…. It's okay. He doesn't have my permission to die." Gibbs whispered in her ear and kissed the side of her head.

"Tony has been known to do things without permission." Ziva countered sadly.

"Tony has also been known to avoid doing things he doesn't want to do." Gibbs said. Ziva was about to respond when the phone rang. She ripped her self out of Gibbs's arms and answered it, hoping to God it was Tony.

"Tony?" She asked quickly, not giving anyone time to speak.

"Ziva, honey! I can't talk long, we're still under attack. But, I need to let you know I was okay. I know you had to be freaking out. Cameron and Jud are okay too, Cameron has a leg wound, but he's still fighting." He said frantically. You could still hear the war going on in the background.

"I…"

"Zee, I have to go. I'm sorry, baby. I love you. Tell the kids and the team I love them." He said.

"I love you, too." Ziva said as the line went dead.


	19. World At War

After Gibbs shut and locked the door quietly, Ziva, still too shaken up to sleep, switched on the TV. She started flipping through channels, coming across ZNN.

"Katie Couric, here, live in Iraq. Here, in the middle of what was a war zone just a couple of hours ago, a road side bomb had exploded, killing one soldier, severely injuring another one, and giving one lucky man a couple of bumps and bruises." A blonde woman said in front of the camera. A picture came up.

"Our sympathies go out to the family of the man in this first picture of Gunnery Sergeant Justin "Jud" Walker, who was killed instantly while driving the truck down the road." She said, fainting sadness like reporters do. Ziva's heart stopped, Tony? A next picture came up.

"This man, Lance Corporal Cameron Stone, was the man that came out relatively okay, and apparently, he has something to say." Katie said, smiling. The camera switched to Cameron's face, black and muddy.

"Ziva! If you're watching this, Tony's going to make it through." He said loudly. Ziva stopped breathing and she barely heard Katie talking. All she saw was the picture on the screen of a man with blood running down his forehead from a gash on the side and a very deep cut showing on his chest with his shirt wide open. His eyes were closed as medical doctors of the team worked around him, trying to slow the bleeding anyway possible. A military picture showed on the screen.

"Privet First Class and NCIS Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo was severely injured. PFC Marcus, would you like to tell us about PFC DiNozzo's condition?" Katie asked a man wearing a green helmet.

"Yes, Katie." He said grimly. "PFC DiNozzo had a dangerous gash on his head, a severely bleeding cut going deep into his stomach, and possible swelling in his brain. Normally, he would have only a 50/50 chance of living, but Lance Corporal Stone has told me that he has a family back home and is very strong because of daily workouts with his wife, Special Agent Ziva DiNozzo, former Mossad agent and IDF soldier, and his boss at NCIS, Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Gunnery Sergeant in the Marines and now Special Agent in Charge on DiNozzo's team." PFC Marcus said. "This brings his chances up to 70 percent chance of living. If we get him to a hospital in time, he will have very good chances of pulling through." All Ziva heard of PFC Marcus's words were 50/50 chance, nothing of 70 percent. She started flashing back to moments of her and Tony, good and bad.

"_Why are you here?" _

"_Couldn't live without you, I guess."_

"_You jeopardized your career, for what?"_

"_For you. He was playing you, Ziva."_

"_Ziva, did you kill Houdini?"_

"_It is possible; I do not remember all their names."_

"_Anthony DiNozzo, do you take Ziva David to be your lawfully wedded wife?"_

"_I do."_

"_Ziva, look. It's our babies." He whispered, kissing her sweat covered forehead._

"_Olivia, Maddox, and Jacob." She nodded._

Ziva didn't really know how long she sat there crying silently. But, she knew she had a very good chance of losing her husband, the love of her life, the father of her children, and her soul mate.

**(I know I was quick to almost kill Tony again…. But, I'll tell you now. He's gonna live.)**


	20. Author's Note

**Okay, after much thought, I've decided I'm going to end When A Soldier Cries here…. I will do a sequel, but not immediately.**


	21. THE SEQUEL IS UP!

**Sequel's up!!!! It's called ****Semper Fidelis****! Read it! Please!**


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